Time to Take a Break
by Sarahbob
Summary: It's a Friday night. Some of the Amis go out, some go home and one stays at the Café to work. Enjolras is in the middle of writing a motivation letter for an internship when he is suddenly experiencing something he never has before. A migraine. But what can he do about it when he's all alone at the Café and doesn't have a clue of what is going on with him? Modern AU.
1. Chapter 1

_(Hi guys! I have another short story for you. It'll probably be a two- or three-shot. It's been stuck in my head since forever, and I just had to get this first part out before I go on holiday. Hope you like! Enjoy)_

It was the middle of the night. Or maybe even already early in the morning; Enjolras didn't really know. He had been sitting at his table for quite some time and his friends were long since gone. Some of them went home and called it an early night, like Combeferre, Marius and Feuilly. Most of them, however went off to a club to 'dance the night away', like Courfeyrac liked to say. It was a Friday after all, so Enjolras couldn't really blame them for going out and celebrating the start of their weekend. Although he didn't think each weekend needed to be kicked off by drinking and dancing. He could think of much more useful things to do.

Courfeyrac had of course been pushing Enjolras all evening to go with them as well, but there was just no way. Not only did he not care much for partying and drinking; he also had to finish his motivation letter for the internship he hoped to get an interview for. All letters had to be sent in by e-mail before Saturday morning 09.00 AM and Enjolras wasn't even close to finish. His friends would disagree of course, but to Enjolras it had to be perfect; it had to be flawless.

He always worked best when he was alone at the Café, which didn't happen often, because his Amis liked spending their time there as well. His apartment would be fine too – Combeferre was never a problem – but when you had a loud roommate who was due to come home drunk in the middle of the night, one would rather take his work elsewhere to be sure not to be disturbed.

So that was why Enjolras was still writing fervently at three AM in the morning. He was mostly rereading and revising the whole thing; but he just wasn't satisfied yet, no matter what adjustments he made. Deep down, he knew it was probably best to stop and have Combeferre read it over in the morning before sending it off, but he just wasn't happy with it yet. Enjolras was slightly aware of a throbbing pain in the left side of his head that had slowly been making itself known in the course of a few hours now, but he had been able to ignore it. Or he chose to ignore it. Either way, it hadn't bothered him much yet. Although he realized it was getting harder to concentrate on what he was doing.

However, since half an hour or so, his headache had worsened a lot. He was hunched over his table with one hand pressing hard against his left temple. With the other hand he kept typing different words only to erase them and replace them with the words he had used earlier. It was when the words started to blur together and his vision was slightly tilting that Enjolras figured he might have been pushing it too hard. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment; blocking out the bright light that came from the screen of his laptop. It did help a little.

But the letter wouldn't finish itself while he was sitting there with his eyes shut. _Stop whining and just keep going_, Enjolras said to himself, _just finish it, then you can sleep and rest._ He forced himself to open his eyes again, but the minute he did so, white hot pain exploded behind his eyes. In the course of just a few seconds, his headache had spiked to heights he'd never thought was possible while remaining conscious. He let out an involuntarily gasp and squeezed his eyes shut again.

He blew out a shaky breath and pressed the back of his hand hard against the bridge of his nose, while his other hand was still pushed against his temple in a desperate attempt to alleviate the sharp pain. He cursed silently and curled in on himself. _What on earth is wrong with me?_ He had never experienced anything like this and it scared him more than a little. He shifted one trembling hand over both his eyes and carefully groped for his laptop with the other. He knew they keys by heart and was able to blindly safe his document before closing the device quickly so that there was no more light in the room except for a forgotten candle on a table in the corner that one of the Amis had forgotten to put out.

Enjolras then slowly shoved the laptop away from him, so he could place both his arms on the table and bury his head between them. _This is not good…this is not good at all_. He breathed heavily through his nose and silently prayed to whoever was listening to just make it stop.

But it didn't stop. It only got worse. His ears began to whiz and even though his eyes were closed, he felt the world around him spinning. He vaguely remembered Courfeyrac telling him that the worst part of being drunk is that when you close your eyes and try to go to sleep, everything around you whirls so fast, you feel like you're tumbling in a black hole without anything to hold on to. He wondered if this was how it felt. If so, he'd promise himself to never get that drunk in his entire life, because the feeling was horrible.

It didn't even surprise him when his stomach decided to do flips alongside his vision. He groaned miserably and carefully slid down from the chair to the floor, where he curled into a tight ball with one arm tightly draped over his stomach. _This can't be happening…what's happening?_ He knew there had to be a logical explanation for what was going on, but his mind was fuzzy and he was hardly able to form any coherent thoughts. Everything was blurring together and Enjolras found himself wishing he wasn't alone, because he had no idea what to do.

He briefly thought about fetching his phone and call Combeferre or Courfeyrac, but then he remembered that his phone was in the pocket of his jacket and his jacket was draped across a chair on the other side of the room. There was no way he was going to crawl all the way over there; he'd just stay where he was and wait, hope and pray for the pain to go away. He didn't even notice the few tears that managed to escape his closed eyes and slowly trailed down his face.

* * *

Combeferre was glad he could go home early. This week had been quite chaotic with the exams he had to study for and the extra shifts at the hospital that he had decided to take. He couldn't wait to get to bed and sleep without any disturbances for the next couple of hours. He knew Courfeyrac and a few of the other boys were planning on going out that night and he had told Enjolras to either take a break and go with them, or call it an early night as well and come back home with him. Enjolras had smiled reassuringly and told him he was actually considering to give the whole 'celebrating the weekend' a chance.

Combeferre could hardly believe what he was hearing, but he couldn't help but feel a little proud of his best friend. He never went out; hardly ever really had fun, so this might be good for him. And even though he would never admit it, the medical student enjoyed the fact that he could spend a couple of hours completely alone at his apartment. As soon as he got home, he changed into more comfortable clothes, grabbed a book and let himself fall into the soft cushions of the couch. He managed no more than ten pages before he was fast asleep and snoring quietly.

He woke up hours later to the sound of someone trying to push the key into the lock but failing miserably. He sighed exasperatedly and rubbed the sleep out of eyes. Then he slowly got up and walked to the front door. He wasn't even surprised when he saw Courfeyrac there, leaning heavily against the doorframe with a large grin on his face.

"Hey there beautiful, I knew you'd still be up waiting for me, you big…big…t-teddy bear", he slurred and he chuckled at his own joke.

Combeferre narrowed his eyes at his roommate and pulled him inside. _Drunk out of his freaking mind_, Combeferre thought bitterly as he peeked outside the door in search of his second roommate. He frowned when he saw that the hallway was completely empty and turned around to face Courfeyrac, who had flopped down on the couch with a bag of chips and lazily waved the remote at the TV without actually turning it on.

"Enjolras still at the club?", Combeferre asked incredulously when he looked at his watch and saw it was nearly four in the morning.

"Hmm…? Did you say something Teddy?", Courfeyrac mumbled with his mouth full, again grinning sheepishly at his own choice of words.

Combeferre walked towards the couch and pulled the bag of chips away from his friend. He forced himself to stay calm, but was aware of an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I asked you if Enjolras is still at the club? Didn't you go home together?"

Courfeyrac frowned at him and appeared to be thinking very, very hard. Then he shook his head again and clasped Combeferre on the shoulder; nearly falling off the couch as he did so. "You mean Enjy? Enjy wasn't at the club, are you kidding me? Me, Bahorel and R were the last ones to leave tonight…"

Combeferre stared at him in disbelief, but Courfeyrac didn't seem to realize something was wrong.

"You…you must be confused, because he told me he was going home…he's probably already sleeping….doesn't know how to have fun…", he yawned and slid down further on the couch so that he was practically lying flat. "I do, you know…know how to have fun, that is…I always have fun".

Combeferre shook his head and walked over to Enjolras' room. _Could it be he had sneaked inside without Combeferre noticing? Well, he had been very tired, so it might just be possible_. His heart sank as he flicked on the light and saw the room was empty.

_Damnit._

Combeferre turned on his heels and practically ran back to where Courfeyrac was now passed out on the couch. He dug his phone out from under the mess that were Courfeyrac´s legs and immediately speed dialed Enjolras. It rang once, twice and a third time before turning to voicemail. Combeferre pressed his lips together and felt his heart beat a little louder in his chest. He dialed the number again, but still didn´t get any answer.

"You've got to be kidding me, Julien, pick up your damn phone", he whispered. _Is he still at the Café?_ _What if something happened to him on the way back? What if he's out there somewhere injured and can't get home_. He cursed his own train of thoughts and furiously called Enjolras' phone a third time.

"Combeferre?"

Combeferre was momentarily at a loss for words. The phone was picked up, but it definitely wasn't Enjolras he was hearing. The person on the other side of the phone sounded familiar, clearly just as drunk as Courfeyrac, but there was a certain trace of worry in there too. He frowned when the voice called his name again and then suddenly it hit him: Bahorel.

"Bahorel? What are you doing picking up Enjolras' phone? Is he there?"

There was a short moment of silence.

"Yeah he's here…but I don't think he is doing so good. I'm not sure what's wrong, but he hardly even acknowledges me and he seems to be in pain, although I don't think he's injured…I'm trying to figure out what's wrong, but he practically winces every time I even open my mouth…and he won't speak to me."

Combeferre felt his heart drop to his stomach and glanced at Courfeyrac, who was still out cold. Then he grabbed his keys from the table and stepped out of the apartment; locking the door behind him.

"I'm on my way…could you stay with him until I'm there?"

"Course, 'Ferre, see you soon."

TBC.

_(Yeah, I'm not sure if it's any good, but if you liked it, please let me know and review? Thanks!)_


	2. Chapter 2

_(Hi guys! Thank you all for the response on the previous chapter :) I'm so happy you're enjoying this one. Got another chapter for you; though it's a bit shorter than the first one. Hope you'll like it and I'll try to update No Place for a Revolutionary and I Hear You Calling this weekend before I go on holiday, but I'm not making any promises. Enjoy this one!)_

Enjolras felt as if something was splitting his skull in two. He had no idea how long he had been sitting on the floor; he had no idea what time it was and he had no idea what was going on with him. All he knew was that he had been fine – well...fine enough – one minute and the next his brain felt like it was about to explode; his stomach was in a rollercoaster, taking his vision along for the ride and he was vaguely aware of the fact that he was trembling like a leaf.

And as if he wasn't feeling bad enough, someone suddenly loudly stumbled up the stairs and turned on the lights. The brightness that shone from them pierced Enjolras' head and a small moan escaped his throat before he all but crawled towards the closest and darkest corner of the room, where he leaned against the wall and tried to make himself as small as possible. The fact that someone was actually there and probably able to help him did not even cross his mind. All was blocked out by the amount of pain that erupted behind his eyes.

"Enjolras?"

Someone was talking to him. Enjolras couldn't place the voice; it seemed to come from far away or from under the water, but at the same time it felt as if the person was shouting in his ear. He curled in tighter on himself and tried to turn away from all the senses his broken head could not handle.

"Enjolras?"

The voice was much closer now and Enjolras knew it was familiar. Very familiar and yet he had the hardest time placing it. On top of that, he really could not bear the noise the person was making. His mind put in a lot of effort to form the words 'shut up', but when they finally reached his lips, something else entirely seemed to come out. He sounded unintelligible and when he tried again, the words still did not make any sense. Not to himself and probably not to the person who has standing near him either.

The person carefully touched his shoulder and started talking to him, but Enjolras couldn't focus on what he was saying. Everything blurred together and was dominated by the fierce pain behind his eyes. He took a deep and shaky breath and tried to calm down his whirling stomach. If whoever was shouting at him could just shut the hell up...that would make him very happy.

Just when the man next to Enjolras stopped talking, somewhere in the distance, a sharp, penetrating sound could be heard. If he had been able to keep his eyes open, Enjolras would have rolled them in frustration. The shrill noise kept blaring through the café and Enjolras realized it was his phone he was hearing.

He heard how the man next to him turned away and walked towards the sound. _Yes, please make it stop_, Enjolras silently prayed as he pressed his hands harder against his ears hoping he could block the sound out that way.

He didn't even try to make sense of the conversation the man was having on his phone. He actually couldn't care less. All he cared about right now and all he focussed on was to breath through the pain and try not to throw up or pass out.

Although...passing out didn't even sound like a bad idea if he had to be honest...

* * *

Combeferre drove back to the Musain as fast as he could without actually breaking any speed limits. The minute Bahorel had answered the phone and told Combeferre that Enjolras wasn't doing so good, the medical student had been sick with worry. The only thing that soothed his racing heart was the fact that Bahorel didn't believe Enjolras was injured. _Just stay calm, it's probably nothing too serious. Maybe he's coming down with something and Bahorel is just freaking out because he's drunk_, Combeferre tried to tell himself, although Bahorel wasn't one to easily freak out, even when drunk.

He couldn't help but find it frustratingly annoying that the one night that he was actually free and allowed to rest - after one of the most hectic weeks of his life - he was pulled away from that by one roommate who was too drunk to function and another who had probably worked himself sick again. It was frustrating, but - honestly enough - he was used to it. And somewhere deep down he actually liked taking care of his two idiots of roommates.

He parked the car a few blocks away from the Café and started running towards the entrance. He figured Enjolras was probably still upstairs where they usually held all their meetings and stayed behind for a drink or two. Except for tonight, because tonight everyone had agreed to either go out clubbing or go home and sleep. Enjolras had successfully maneuvered his way out of both and had apparently been the only one to stay behind at the Café.

As he walked up the stairs he heard Bahorel call his name. He didn't hear Enjolas, but he was sure his best friend was up there as well. And he was proven right as soon as he entered the room, where he spotted Bahorel standing over a hunched figure. Enjolras sat huddled in a corner, back pressed against the wall, head resting on his knees, hair a complete mess and both arms crossed over his head.

"'Ferre, thank God you're here, I don't know what's wrong with him. I've asked him a million times, but he's just mumbling words that don't make sense..."

Combeferre eyed his best friend worriedly as he approached him and Bahorel. He quietly bent down so he and Enjolras were on eye level. Next, he carefully reached out and pulled Enjolras' arms away from his head, ignoring the small moan that elicited from him, and lifted his head with his hand.

Enjolras kept his eyes firmly closed but allowed Combeferre to raise his head. The deep frown and obvious pain edged across his face told the medical student more than enough. A headache. He had seen Enjolras with his fair share of headaches already - more than the poor student probably deserved - and he could usually recognize one coming up before Enjolras even realized himself.

However, he had never before seen his friend in a state like this. It worried him a little and when Bahorel spoke up again - voice loud and slurred from alcohol use - Enjolras visibly flinched and his face contorted in pain. Along with the closed eyes, the trembling, the convulsive swallowing and the lack of any head wound or bump, Combeferre was 90% sure they were dealing with a migraine. And a bad one at that.

He lowered his own voice and turned to Bahorel. "Could you turn the lights off?", he asked quietly while he brushed a strand of hair from Enjolras' eyes.

Bahorel frowned, but did as he was told. When he turned back to his friends, he noticed how Combeferre had crouched down closer to his friend and was now carefully carding his fingers through Enjolras' hair while speaking softly to him. Apparently Combeferre was able to make sense of all the unintelligible mumbling. And besides that, Enjolras seemed to realize it was Combeferre who was with him, while before he obviously did not even acknowledge Bahorel at all.

Combeferre let out a deep breath when he realized what was going on with Enjolras. He was actually kind of relieved. A migraine could of course be very painful; very unpleasant, but at least it wasn't anything life threatening. He silently sat down next to Enjolras and let his friend lean in close. He whispered questions in the younger ones ear and carefully listened to the low answers Enjolras gave him to confirm his diagnosis.

"My...head r-really h-hurts...'Ferre", he breathed shakily and he slowly turned to press his forehead against Combeferre's shoulder. "What's w-wrong with m-me?"

Combeferre kept his own voice as low and soft as possible when he answered. "Nothing is wrong with you, Julien, it's a migraine...a bad one, I have to admit, but it'll all be alright. I'm going to take you back home, give you something for the pain and then you're going to sleep." He knew firsthand that experiencing a migraine - and such a bad one like Enjolras' was now - for the first time could be more than a little scary.

Enjolras breathed in deeply through his nose and slowly blew out again. He swallowed thickly and pressed his hand tighter against his stomach. He wasn't going to throw up. Not now; not in the Musain... Everything was still hazy, his head still felt like it was splitting in two and he didn't understand half of what was going on, but he did feel safer now that Combeferre was with him.

"Sound good?" Combeferre added quietly, successfully bringing Enjolras back to him instead of lost in his own mind. And when Enjolras nodded slowly, he placed one arm around his waist and along with Bahorel's help, he lifted Enjolras up to his feet. "Okay then, small steps", he muttered and they made their way out of the Café and towards Combeferre's car. For once Enjolras did not even try to hide his pain or his weakness - mostly because he just didn't have the strength for it – and he leaned heavily on both Combeferre and Bahorel letting them take most of his weight.

TBC.

_(And that's where they go back to their apartment and the fluffy 'taking-care-of-Enjolras' will begin. But that's for the next chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks)_


	3. Chapter 3

_(Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for the wonderful response you've given me on this story. It means so much to me to know that this one is appreciated. Here's the next chapter, I hope you'll enjoy it! As for an answer to some of your questions, yes, a migraine can be as bad as I've described here. There are a few types of migraines, one more severe than the other. My brother has a rare kind, that had him lose consciousness once..)_

The walk towards Combeferre's car was slow and difficult. Enjolras tried his best to stay upright and move his feet, but he had a hard time keeping his eyes open and concentrating on Combeferre's reassuring words. Every movement he made, no matter how small the steps, felt like an iron hammer slamming the back of his head and he wanted nothing more than to lie down pass out.

It definitely didn't help that his stomach was determined to empty its contents, although it still had not quite decided when that would happen, leaving Enjolras with the constant feeling of being sick. He let out a miserable moan when his stomach turned over for the umpteenth time and he tripped over his own feet.

The arm around his waist tightened and then there was a low, soothing voice near his ear.

"Just a few more steps, Julien, we're almost there. Come on, one foot in front of the other."

Combeferre's voice was calm and soft, but the slight tremor betrayed the concern that was hidden in there. He had seen his fair share of migraines; and he wasn't unfamiliar to them himself, but he had never before witnessed a case such as severe as Enjolras', though he had heard and learned about cases where the patient could experience strong neurological symptoms such as troubled vision and hearing; confusion; sluggish movements and even loss of consciousness.

Combeferre shared a look with Bahorel, who was on the other side of Enjolras, keeping him upright. Both friends kept up their quiet whispers of encouragement, but the medical student doubted if Enjolras was actually hearing them. His younger friend was trembling violently and Combeferre knew it had to be from the effort it took for him to stay upright and keep walking. He couldn't be more relieved when they rounded the corner and he spotted his car.

Enjolras remained quiet throughout their walk. He closed his eyes, pressed his lips together and forced his legs to keep moving. He swallowed thickly and let out a shaky breath. If only the world could stop spinning, he'd be very grateful.

* * *

Just when they rounded the corner, and Combeferre reassured him they were practically there, Enjolras' eyes turned wide and he stopped dead in his tracks. Apparently his stomach had decided now was the time. He was scared though as he knew throwing up would mean an increased pressure in his head and he was pretty sure that if that happened, his head would actually have to explode. He tried to take deep breaths through his nose and prayed he could keep the inevitable at bay. _Please...please don't...not now... _

Combeferre had spent enough time with a sick Enjolras to recognize the look on his friend's face and the horror in his eyes the minute he stopped walking. The older one wasn't at all surprised; migraines were usually paired with nausea and Combeferre hadn't missed the way Enjolras had held a tight grip on his stomach ever since he had arrived at the Musain. He let out a sad sigh as he watched Enjolras do his best to fight the urge to throw up, because he knew very well that it was no use. It was going to come out no matter how much his friend tried to resist.

He carefully maneuvered himself so that he was standing behind Enjolras while still holding a firm grip on him. Bahorel seemed to realize what was going on and - with a stomach not all that steady due to alcohol - mumbled something about bringing Enjolras' stuff to the car and walked away.

Combeferre gently brushed his friend's hair back and placed a cool hand on his forehead. "Don't fight it, Julien, it's going to happen anyway, just let it out."

Enjolras let out a choked sound and shook his head defiantly. His breathing picked up and he clenched his hands into fists.

Combeferre closed his eyes in quiet frustration. "It'll only get worse if you try to keep it in. I'm right here, it will be alright, I promise. There's no shame in this."

All he got in response was a groan and another shake of the head. But when Enjolras tried to say something, his face turned ashen and he bucked forward. If it wasn't for Combeferre's firm grip, he would've lost his balance. And just as he feared, the pain that erupted in his head the moment he started throwing up, was unbearable. His vision blackened around the edges and he was sure he very nearly passed out, but Combeferre's voice kept him grounded. He felt hot tears slip from his eyes as the retching seemed to go on forever.

Combeferre remained a solid presence through it all. He knew the pain Enjolras was in had to be torturous and he tried to alleviate some of the pain by lightly massaging his scalp, neck and shoulders. He continued his gentle ministrations after the vomiting had subsided and he carefully pulled Enjolras closer to him so that his younger friend could lean against him fully and catch his breath.

After a few minutes, Combeferre gently thumbed the few tears on Enjolras' face away and he placed the younger one's arm over his shoulders. His own arm once again returned to its place around Enjolras' waist. "Let's get you home, shall we?", he whispered kindly.

Enjolras did not answer. He was completely drained of all energy and even though the walk to Combeferre's car was only about ten more meters, to Enjolras it felt more like ten kilometers. His head was pounding and every step he made caused a sharp pain to flash behind his eyes. He was still nauseous and he feared he might throw up again. He knew he was letting Combeferre carry pretty much all of his weight, but he couldn't help it. He just didn't have the strength any more to care about his pride.

When they got to the car, Combeferre carefully put his friend in the front seat and pulled the back of the chair back so that Enjolras could lie more comfortably. Then he turned to Bahorel, who was eyeing his sick leader worriedly.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Combeferre smiled softly and squeezed Bahorel's shoulder. "Yes, he'll be fine. It will probably take a day or two for him to get back on his feet, but at least it's the weekend." He hesitated for a minute and he looked back at the car. He really wanted to get Enjolras home and in bed as fast as possible, but it felt wrong to not offer his friend a ride home.

"Can I drop you off at your place?" Combeferre then asked, but Bahorel shook his head almost immediately.

"No, that's okay 'Ferre, get him home, I don't mind a little walk."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive", Bahorel smiled, "Call me when he feels better, will you 'Ferre?" When Combeferre promised he would, Bahorel turned around and started his way back to his own apartment. Combeferre watched him turn the corner and then got behind the wheel. He glanced at Enjolras and he frowned. His poor friend really did not look good. He turned around in his seat and pulled a small bottle of water from the back. Then he gently nudged Enjolras' shoulder and coaxed him into drinking a few sips. The blond let out a small sigh of relief.

"Almost home now", Combeferre said softly and he started the engine.

* * *

They got to the apartment Combeferre shared with Courfeyrac and Enjolras within ten minutes. It proved a little difficult to get his weakened friend up the stairs, but they managed in the end. When they arrived at the front door, Combeferre pulled out the keys and carefully unlocked the door. He silently prayed for Courfeyrac to still be asleep on the couch, because the last thing Enjolras needed right now was a jumping, drunken Courfeyrac.

As the door opened, he let out a small thank you to whoever was listening, because Courfeyrac was still out cold. He had curled himself into a tight ball and was clutching the blanket Combeferre had thrown around him earlier as if he was afraid someone would steal it away from him. It was actually a quite endearing sight and Combeferre couldn't suppress a small smile.

Enjolras' small whimper however brought him back to the problems at hand and he carefully guided his friend to the nearest bedroom, which happened to be his own. He made sure the lights were off before they entered. Once there, he pulled back the covers of the bed and gently pushed his friend down. Then he took off Enjolras' jacket and shoes and rushed towards the bathroom to get a glass of water and the painkillers that the blond desperately needed. Enjolras swallowed them thankfully.

His friend still looked confused and a little scared, but Combeferre promised him everything would be alright. The most important thing for now, was that Enjolras would get some sleep. He could provide the blond with answers when he woke up again.

"Please, stay?" Enjolras whispered weakly and he turned pleading eyes towards Combeferre. The painkillers had yet to start working and he really did not want to be alone right now.

Combeferre smiled at him and gently carded his fingers through the blond curls. "Sure", he said quietly, "I'll stay, just try to go to sleep now Julien. You'll feel better when you wake up, I promise.."

Enjolras did as he was told and soon enough he let the blissful darkness claim him. When Combeferre was positive his younger friend was fast asleep, he quietly moved himself to the small couch. _Might as well get some sleep myself_, he thought tiredly. Before his own eyes fell closed, he glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was already after five in the morning. _So much for my quiet evening of peaceful rest_.

* * *

He woke up again not even an hour later to the sound of retching coming from the bathroom. _Courfeyrac or Enjolras?, _was the first thing that crossed his mind. Both could be equally possible, since one was bound to have a massive hangover that more often than not was paired with throwing up, and the other would still be fighting the symptoms of the migraine from hell. When Combeferre opened his eyes and turned his head to look at the bed, he had his answer and with a deep sigh he pulled himself up and made his way to the bathroom.

TBC.

_(So yeah, I said this would be a three-shot, but I'm having fun with it, so maybe it'll be a four or five chapter story. Definitely not longer than that though. More fluffyness in the next chapter :) Please let me know if you liked the chapter in a review? It would mean a lot, thanks! And if you have any ideas of your own, please let me know, I'm always open to them)_


	4. Chapter 4

_(Hi guys! Thank you all so much again for the reviews, follows and favorites. It means so much to me and you are the ones that keep me motivated! Hope you'll enjoy the next chapter.)_

* * *

Enjolras had only just fallen asleep when his stomach played up again. While it was flipping and turning, he slowly but surely drifted back to consciousness and he really, really wished that he wouldn't have.

His head was pounding just as badly as it had before he fell asleep and Enjolras wondered how long he actually had been out. Either it was only for such a short time that the painkillers had not kicked in yet, or they just did not work at all. He sincerely hoped it would be the first.

Enjolras took a deep breath through his nose and blew it out slowly again through his mouth. Combeferre had told him once that this could help against the nausea. He was sixteen then and Grantaire had managed to get him drunk. Enjolras still did not know what exactly happened, something with Grantaire spiking his lemonade and him passing out, but he did remember that Combeferre had been livid. Not with him of course, but with Grantaire and Bahorel, who apparently had been in on the plan. He also remembered feeling terrible; much similar to the way he felt now although the painkillers Combeferre had given him then had worked pretty much right away.

Letting out a low moan, he curled on his right side and carefully blinked his eyes open. In the dark, he could just make out a figure lying on the couch, turned away from him and fast asleep. Combeferre. Enjolras felt slightly guilty for asking his friend to stay with him; forcing him to sleep on a couch instead of an actual bed. He didn't have time to dwell on it long however, because his stomach suddenly lurched and Enjolras nearly fell out of the bed in his hurry to reach the bathroom in time.

He fell down to his knees on the cold tiled floor and desperately clutched the porcelain bowl in front of him. Instead of fighting it like last time, Enjolras decided to just let it all out immediately. He didn't have the energy to do otherwise. Again, his head seemed to explode the minute he started heaving and Enjolras couldn't believe this was happening again. His hair fell forwards and was plastered against his sweaty forehead; he was gripping the edge of the pot so hard, his knuckles turned white and he made the most wretched sounds.

Enjolras was too far gone to hear the bathroom door open and someone quietly coming in. He was only aware of another presence in the room when he felt a weight behind him and someone gently brushing his hair back. There was a cool cloth against his forehead and a comforting voice close-by. Enjolras didn't even have to think on who it might be. He knew it was Combeferre. It was always Combeferre. He felt immensely grateful towards his best friend and he hoped Combeferre knew that too. If not, he swore to himself he would tell him soon.

* * *

When his stomach finally seemed to calm down a little, Enjolras slumped back against his friend's chest and closed his eyes; trying to catch his breath. Combeferre gently wiped the sweat and tears off his face with the cloth and flushed the toilet to get rid of the smell.

"'M sorry", Enjolras whispered, feeling more than a little embarrassed that this was now happening for the second time tonight.

Combeferre shushed him and pressed the cloth against the nape of his neck. He smiled softly when Enjolras let out a content sigh at the movement. "Don't be sorry, it's not your fault", Combeferre said in just as a low voice as Enjolras'.

They sat like that for a few minutes, in silence and darkness, until Enjolras felt sure enough he wasn't going to throw up again, and then a little longer. His head hurt like hell and felt too heavy to hold up, so he let it rest against Combeferre's shoulder. He knew the pain must have been evident on his face when Combeferre gently started to massage his head; applying pressure in just the right places.

"Painkillers didn't help?", Combeferre asked quietly.

Enjolras let out a shaky breath and slowly shook his head. He had hoped it might have been too early for the medicine to do its magic, but now that Combeferre asked him, he felt that hope fade away. They should have had effect by now and if they didn't, they apparently did not work at all. He wondered if maybe Combeferre was going to give him something else for the pain but he soon found out that was not going to be the case.

"They were most likely already in your system before you threw up, so I can't give you another dose. Not yet. We'll try something else in a few hours if it's still as bad then."

Enjolras let out a desperate sigh. He sure as hell hoped not. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to keep this up for another hour or two.

* * *

Just as he was about to suggest to Combeferre that he was ready to go back to his bedroom, the door flew open and the bright light was rudely turned on, causing Enjolras to gasp at the sudden spike in pain. He squeezed his eyes shut again and turned away from the light, his hands covering his face.

Combeferre looked up to see a confused and sleepy Courfeyrac standing in the doorway; hair a complete mess and eyes only half open. His brows were knitted together in a frown; a clear sign of Courfeyrac and a hangover.

"Whas goin on?", he mumbled sleepily as he reached for the top cabinet where Combeferre kept the aspirine and Tylenol. "You sick, Enjy?"

"Courf, could you please turn the lights off? Now?", Combeferre said pressingly, although he kept his voice soft and gentle for the sake of the heads of both of his friends.

Courfeyrac's frown deepened but he did as he was told. Then he swallowed two pills dry and slumped down next to Combeferre and Enjolras, resting his head on Combeferre's other shoulder. "What's wrong?", he asked again, although this time he sounded more worried.

"Migraine", Combeferre answered, rolling his eyes when Courfeyrac actually nuzzled against his shoulder. "It's often paired with nausea and vomiting and high sensitivity of light and sound."

"Sounds a bit like a hangover", Courfeyrac giggled, the effects of alcohol still in his blood.

Combeferre pressed his lips and shook his head. Now was not the time for jokes. Enjolras was seriously ill and Combeferre was very tired himself. "It's really not though", he said a little coolly, "that hangover is your own fault, whereas Enjolras can't help feeling like this." Although that wasn't entirely true; Combeferre was almost sure Enjolras' condition wouldn't be this bad if he hadn't been pushing himself to go on and on without a even a moment's rest.

He looked down at both of his friends resting comfortably against his shoulders. Courfeyrac was almost fast asleep again, breathing heavily and even. Enjolras however was tense all over and nowhere near asleep. He looked utterly miserable and close to tears. Combeferre brought his hand up and gently brushed the damp curls. He took a deep breath and carefully shrugged the shoulder Courfeyrac was lying on.

"Time for bed, my poor children", he mumbled quietly with a small grin, "It's six in the morning and you both really need some rest."

He helped Enjolras up and kept a firm grip around his waist while he held out his other hand to pull Courfeyrac up as well. He led them both out of the bathroom and then gently shoved Courfeyrac towards his own bedroom. "Sleep it off Courf", Combeferre said kindly and he watched with a smile how the other boy shuffled towards his room. Then he turned towards Enjolras - who had kept silent ever since apologizing for throwing up - and guided him through the dark back to his bed.

He carefully pushed his young friend down and pulled the blankets back up. Then he hunched down near the edge of the bed and brushed some of the curls back that had fallen in front of Enjolras' eyes. Enjolras opened his eyes at the gesture and looked up at Combeferre almost pleadingly. He looked very much like a lost puppy to Combeferre and his heart broke a little at the sight.

"I feel sick again", Enjolras whispered weakly and he curled in tighter on himself, "My head really h-hurts..." The last words were spoken so quietly that Combeferre thought he wasn't meant to hear them. He sighed softly, and kept carding his hand through Enjolras' hair.

"What can I do to help?", Combeferre asked quietly.

Enjolras only shrugged and closed his eyes again. Combeferre's movements calmed him down a little. As long as he focused on the gentle touch of his friend, he could forget about the pain for a little bit.

And as if Combeferre could read his mind, Enjolras felt his friend sit down next to him on the bed. He sat up fairly straight, with his back against the headrest and his legs under the covers. As if on cue, Enjolras rolled over and moved closer to his friend until his head was resting against Combeferre's side. This way, Combeferre could keep up his gentle touches and Enjolras could fully relax into the safety and warmth that was Combeferre.

"Just sleep, Julien, you're going to be fine", he said kindly. And it only took Enjolras ten minutes to obey.

* * *

When the blond woke up hours later again, he felt a lot better. The headache was still there, but he was no longer nauseous and his head wasn't spinning.

He opened his eyes and looked around the room. Combeferre was no longer there, but he heard clattering and talking in the living room. Apparently both Courfeyrac and Combeferre were already up and about, leading Enjolras to question what time it actually was.

His eyes searched for the alarmclock in the room and his eyes widened slightly when he saw it was already 11.30. He had slept for quite some hours then, something that did not happen all too often. And he was still tired.

Just when Enjolras was about to leave the bed and join his two friends in the living room he remembered something. And it nearly made his heart stop in shock and the pain in his head spike.

_11.30. The internship. I have missed the deadline for application. _

Tbc.

* * *

(_So..,yeah, turns out this will be a five-shot! One more chapter to go. I really, really hope you enjoyed this one, please let me know in a review? Thanks! Also, I'm thinking about writing a one- or two-shot about the time Grantaire got Enjolras drunk as described in this chapter. Please let me know if you'd think that could be interesting!)_


	5. Chapter 5

_(Hi guys! Thanks again for all your lovely support on this story. This is going to be the last chapter :) I have decided to write the one-shot where Grantaire and Bahorel get Enjolras drunk. So if you want to read that one, be on the lookout. Enjoy!)_

* * *

_I have missed the deadline_.

Enjolras was sure his heart skipped several beats when he realized that he was too late to send in his motivation letter. This couldn't be happening. Not to him; not now. This was the perfect internship; he was absolutely certain that he was right for the job. And now he wasn't even going to get the chance to show them that.

The realization made his head spin and he slowly sank back down on the bed. His hands were shaking and he couldn't breathe properly. How could this have happened to him? Why him? It was not fair; he had been working so hard on that letter. Sudden tears clouded his vision and he bit down on his lip. He wasn't going to cry about this. This wasn't something you cried about…or was it? What if this was the only chance he was going to get? What if there wouldn't be another opportunity like this one? Had he really missed his stepping stone towards a brilliant career? Because of a little headache? _You missed your one best shot at achieving something great and you let it slip because your head hurt! You're pathetic._

The headache that had faded away when he woke up, was now starting to make its unforgivable reappearance. Enjolras closed his eyes in quiet despair and threw his arms over his head. He had put everything on hold for that letter. He had postponed the meetings of the week; he had skipped class; he didn't do his homework for the first time ever which was going to cost him at least one mark of his grade. He had put it all on hold. And now everything was ruined just because of a headache.

Enjolras couldn't hold it back any longer. His face crumpled and his shoulders started shaking. He didn't care anymore. He was alone and he felt miserable. Tears slowly fell down his cheeks and onto the pillows; soaking them. Somewhere a voice was telling him to stop crying; please stop crying or you'll make the headache worse again. But Enjolras didn't care. He'd missed the deadline anyway; why would he try and prevent his head from exploding again. He deserved it, didn't he. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_, he told himself over and over again.

In the distance, he could still hear his friends talking. They sounded quite happy; carefree. Combeferre was probably making them all some tea. It was a Saturday after all and on Saturdays they usually stayed in; watched a couple of movies; read a book and relaxed together. But Enjolras really didn't feel like joining them anymore. What was he going to say? He was embarrassed…What was he going to tell them when they asked him about his application? They'd be disappointed and shocked, he was sure of it. He was going to let them down and all because of that _stupid, stupid headache._

It took him another half hour of chastising himself before he was able to sit up straight again and think clearly. He was just going to e-mail them anyway. Maybe if he'd explain what had happened, they would understand. Maybe he could sent them a copy of his extracurricular activities or a list of his grades. Maybe he could convince the principal to contact the organization and tell them that he really was an excellent and accurate student. Desperation seared inside his chest. He was going to do everything he could possibly think of to get in. He had to. So he wiped at his eyes, pushed himself up from the bed and pulled on his sweater. His head was spinning and he felt like throwing up, but he wouldn't give in to his weaknesses this time. He had to find his laptop and sent that e-mail.

* * *

Enjolras didn't even realize how bad his legs were shaking until his knees buckled and he nearly fell down. He was only just able to catch himself on the bedside table, but knocked over everything that was on top of it in the process. He winced at the loud noise it created and carefully moved towards the door.

"Enjolras?"

Someone was calling him from the living room. Probably Combeferre, but Enjolras didn't answer him. He opened the door of his room and stumbled through the kitchen in search of his laptop. _Where is it? Where is it? Where the hell is it?_ He was sweating and trembling and panting, but he kept moving until someone forcefully grabbed his shoulders and pushed him into the nearest chair.

"Enjolras, what on earth are you doing? You look dead on your feet, why are you up?" Combeferre sounded upset and more than a little scared. His best friend seemed to be trapped in some sort of panicked delusion and was moving around the room without seeing where he went. He tripped over his own two feet, and clashed against tables and chairs.

"Combeferre", Enjolras panted, "let me go, I have to find my laptop. I have to do something, I'm already late, please? Please let me go, please?"

But Combeferre didn't loosen his hold. Instead he crouched down in front of his friend and looked him straight in the eyes, while brushing his hair back in a soothing motion. "Calm down, Julien, stop panicking. I've sent them your letter, you didn't miss your deadline…Calm down"

"No, no, Combeferre, you don't understand. I have to get to my laptop, I have to give them an explanation. Maybe…maybe they'll give me another chance if I explain to them why I was too late. Please let me go." He didn't even hear what his friend was saying to him; his mind was racing and dark spots blackened his vision.

Combeferre grabbed Enjolras' chin and forced his younger friend to look up at him. He spoke in a very calm and clear voice. "Julien, listen to me. I have already e-mailed them your motivation letter this morning at 08.00 am. I have checked it over for grammar and spelling errors; corrected a few things here and there and then I sent it in. Now calm down."

Enjolras looked at him incomprehensibly. His eyebrows furrowed and he opened his mouth a few times before closing it again. When he finally found his voice, all he could manage was a short and dumbfounded: "What?"

Combeferre chuckled at his friend's befogged expression and loosened his hold. "I said, I have e-mailed your motivation letter this morning at 08.00 am. You didn't miss your deadline, Julien…"

Enjolras was quiet for a few minutes. His eyes dropped towards his lap and he closed them for a moment. It took some time for Combeferre's words to truly break through his panicked mind, but when they finally did, all tension flowed out of him and he slumped into the chair; as if all energy left him at once. "Oh", he whispered weakly; suddenly very much aware of the intense pain behind his eyes. When he looked back up again, a teary, doubtful smile decorated his face. "Really?", he mumbled softly, with all the hopefulness of a child who had just been told he was going to get a puppy.

"Are you really that surprised?", Combeferre laughed cheerfully, "Of course I did. You've been talking about this internship ever since you knew there was going to be an application, which was three months ago I think. I'm one of your closest friends; I know how important this is for you. I don't forget things like that, mon Ami."

Enjolras' smile grew and had to swallow a few times to get rid of the sudden lump in his throat and threw his arms around Combeferre's shoulders; muttering a quiet 'thanks'. When he pulled back, however, he bit his lip nervously again. "Was it any good?", he whispered hopefully.

"It was perfect. Seriously, Julien, there would be something wrong with them if they didn't invite you for an interview. You've got this one, don't worry."

Enjolras beamed at the praise.

"Now that is settled", Combeferre said gently, "How is your head feeling? And don't tell me it's fine, because I know you better than you know yourself and it's all too clear to me you're in pain."

Enjolras' face fell a little and he frowned. "It uh…it was better when I woke up, but it's getting worse now…I don't know, I think I've worked myself up too much."

"You think?", Combeferre joked playfully, while he offered his hand to pull Enjolras upright. "Come on, let's move you to the sofa, alright?"

"It's still not as bad as it was yesterday, you know", Enjolras muttered defiantly, as he let himself be guided towards one of the two sofa's. Courfeyrac was already occupying the other one and watched his two roommates with a frown on his face. He let out an exasperated groan and made a show of turning himself around. "Stupid Enjolras and his stupid freaking out", he moaned groggily, "You're not the only one with a headache you know, and yet you get all the care and kindness in the world. 'S not fair."

Enjolras raised his eyebrows and gave Combeferre a quizzical look. Combeferre only smirked and patted Courfeyrac playfully on the head a few times. "That's because you could've known you were going to feel like this when you took those belly button shots yesterday. Maybe this will learn you a lesson. Besides, I _have_ given you all the care and kindness I can offer by making you tea and fetching your pillow and blanket, so stop moping and be nice to Enjy, here. He has just given himself an unnecessary panic attack that has him still shaking like a leaf."

Courfeyrac gave Enjolras a smug grin. "True, I'm sorry _Enjy_."

Enjolras shot both his friend one of his infamous death glares and slumped down on the couch. "Shut up", he whispered, "I'm entitled to a little freak out once in a while. I am under a lot of stress."

"Stress you create for yourself, yes", Combeferre chuckled, "Now sit still while I get you your stuff from the bedroom as well. And some painkillers I think."

* * *

An hour later had Combeferre sitting in the midst of his two friends on the biggest couch. After he had grabbed a pillow and a blanket for Enjolras, Courfeyrac decided it was better to join his blond friend and share some comfort their sickness. He had pulled Combeferre down in the middle of them only a little while later and claimed it was way more cozy this way and it made him feel better to be close to his best friends. They decided to watch a movie, but after twenty minutes Enjolras and Courfeyrac were fast asleep. Both pressed up against Combeferre with their heads resting on either one of his shoulders. The medical student could only smile and he closed his eyes as well; relishing in the friendship that his roommates so openly offered him. He dozed off no more than five minutes later.

The end

* * *

_(Yeah, so this chapter is done now as well and with that I have finished this short story :) I hope you have enjoyed it. Please leave me a review if you did? Everything turned out okay in the end. I wanted to ask you guys if you have any ideas for a new story for me. I really want to keep writing, but I'm kind of out of ideas. So please, do let me know if you think of something :) Thanks again for following this one!)_


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